The great artistic movements of the Middle Ages—the Romanesque and the Gothic—emanated from France to other parts of Europe in a variety of ways, presenting a distinctive national creativity and character for the first time in medieval art. Among the architectural treasures explored in this class will be the majestic imperial churches in the Rhineland, the proud cathedrals of the independent Italian cities, and the playful novelty of the English Gothic style. Discover the remarkable figurative arts connected to these buildings, including the extraordinary sculpture of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the beautiful illustrated manuscripts used in services, and the stunning large-scale fresco cycles in Italian churches that foreshadow the early modern era.
Image: Window with two roundels and ornament from Christ Church Cathedral, Canterbury, “St. Stephen Disputing with Jews”, “The Last Judgement” lower roundel, ca. 1180, upper roundel before 1207, English (12th – 13th century), Stained glass with leading, 89.5 x 36.25 in. Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
This two-part course will explore the history of western Europe’s artistic fascination with the people and locales of north Africa, the Middle East, and east Asia. The first session examines the practitioners of French impressionism who engaged with the aesthetics of Japanese art, among them Claude Monet who famously collected ukiyo-e prints and designed a Japanese-inspired water garden surrounding his home and studio at Giverny. The second session focuses on nineteenth-century Romantic and Academic artists, including French Orientalist painter Eugène Delacroix.
This course, offered in conjunction with the exhibition Félix Bracquemond: Impressionist Innovator (VMFA Mellon Focus galleries, Feb 13 – Oct 4, 2015), will also interpret how Bracquemond’s etchings and ceramics express stylistic elements of Japonisme.
Image: Portrait of Edmond de Goncourt, 1882, Felix Bracquemond (French, 1833-1914), etching and engraving. Promised gift of Frank Raysor
Celebrate longevity, the New Year, and treasures from the Forbidden City while exploring Chinese culture. Participate in a LEGO® reproduction of the Imperial Palace nine dragon screen and nine imperial treasure-making activities. Take in nine Chinese animated films for children, breathe and stretch with Project Yoga Richmond, and be amazed by martial arts demonstrations.
Also discover the Legend of the Chinese Dragon as Richmond Ballet’s Minds In Motion Team XXL brings this folk tale to life through the magic of dance.
Check out the agenda.
Entry to the Forbidden City exhibition not included. Visitors interested in visiting the special exhibition are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance.
Born in Viet Nam, Minh Martin studied geophysics at Yale University and then apprenticed with The Great Bri’oni, a self-taught leader in the California ArtGlass Movement, in Santa Barbara.
In addition to using traditional tools and techniques to create his elegant pieces of glass, his signature is the integration of precious metals such as silver and titanium. “I work in blown glass seeking both beauty and functionality. I believe that the objects we surround ourselves with should engage our affection and elevate our collective identity.”
Martin’s current work includes glass stemware, such as wineglasses and goblets; glass vessels, such as bowls, vases, and urns; and cameo pieces in a variety of beautiful, yet functional, designs. Come to the VMFA Shop on Dec 6 and 7 to see the latest from this talented artist.
Van Gogh and many of his contemporaries were committed to flowers as both a subject and a source of painterly meditation, as evidenced by VMFA’s special exhibition Van Gogh, Manet, and Matisse: The Art of the Flower. Focusing on four major artists featured in this intriguing exhibition: Eugène Delacroix, Gustave Courbet, Édouard Manet and Vincent van Gogh, this course highlights and examines the personal vision, style, and influences of each of these artists as it relates to their floral still life painting.
Image: Vase with Cornflowers and Poppies (detail), 1887, Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 – 1890, active in France), oil on canvas, 31 1/2 x 26 3/8 in. Triton Collection Foundation
Justin Rice and Chatham Monk, both from Lynchburg, VA, with degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Art, use their backgrounds in drawing, printmaking, and decorative patterns to collaborate on this stunning line of porcelain scraffitowork. Without the use of templates or stencils, the pair hand-carve images into a black under glaze to expose the white clay body, yielding beautiful, one-of-a-kind porcelain pieces with slight variations in shape and glazes. This work is dishwasher- and microwave-safe and lead-free. Rice and Monk will be at the VMFA Shop on Nov 29 and 30 for a trunk show and sale of their work.
Jason McLeod loves the idea of time travel. In his notable “Time Traveler” series, this talented, self-taught studio jeweler and goldsmith, who graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University and began designing jewelry in 2004, uses designs with celestial coding and maps. The moving components in this series represent the stitching together of our reality, the navigation of multiple dimensions, and perhaps the circuitry necessary for such a time traveling instrument. Created from 14k and 18k gold, sterling silver, platinum, high-quality gemstones, and other natural materials, each piece of his jewelry is a limited edition, part of a series, or a “one of a kind” piece for the wearer to cherish.
In the 1880s, King Leopold of Belgium took possession of the unexplored Congo River area in Africa. He then proceeded to exploit its natural resources and its people. Ultimately responsible for millions of deaths, he shrewdly managed to portray himself as a humanitarian. This haunting and award-winning historical account by Adam Hochschild not only recounts this horrible tragedy, but also tells the story of those who tried to stop him. In the first major human rights movement of the 20th century, many people tried to expose the truth — even Mark Twain and Joseph Conrad, who was inspired to write Heart of Darkness after his time in the Belgian Congo.
Image: Royal Stool, 19th-20th century (African, Luba culture, Democratic Republic of Congo), wood, glass beads, string. Robert and Nancy Nooter Collection, Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
How did a young Jesuit missionary born in Italy end up in 1700s Imperial China as artist to three emperors? The story of Giuseppe Castiglione is one of passion, conviction, and creativity; and his journey has left a long-lasting impact in China and beyond. Father Jerry Martinson, executive producer of the film, has encountered similar challenges in his 48 years in Taiwan and China. Father Martinson relates his personal experiences in a cross-cultural dialogue with insights into the inner-workings of China in the 18th century and now. This film complements the Forbidden City special exhibition, which includes several of Castiglione’s works, as well as the family event ChinaFest! the following day.
Did you know that Van Gogh destroyed some of his own paintings? What does this decision say about the artist and his religious views? And how did a Japanese zen master factor in? In this session of VMFA Book Club, we will be joined by author Cliff Edwards, Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at VCU, to explore the motivations behind Van Gogh’s destruction of his own depictions of the Garden of Gethsemane.
VMFA Book Club: Using books about artists or works of art currently on view at VMFA to pique curiosity and open discussions, VMFA Book Club explores these specific works of art as well as the setting and period surrounding them. Note: Reading the book is helpful but not required. The VMFA Shop stocks a limited supply of each book.